Tide Practices Inside on Friday with a Scrimmage Scheduled for SaturdayAlabama puts in final preparations for the second and final scrimmage of fall camp on Friday

Coach Nick Saban took his team inside for practice on Friday.

Aug. 17, 2012

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama football team held a two-hour practice in shells on Friday afternoon inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility as they finished preparations for Saturday's scrimmage.

Friday was the Crimson Tide's 18th practice of fall camp. The Tide will hold its final scrimmage of the fall on Saturday inside Bryant-Denny Stadium with the season opener slated for Saturday, Sept. 1, against eighth-ranked Michigan.

"The biggest thing we are focused on for this Saturday is how much do we improve as a team," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. "There have been lots of practices, and players are probably tired of camp, but camp is not really over for us until after the scrimmage.

"What is inside of you relative to what you do, how you finish, the kind of attitude you have, the kind of character you compete with. All those things versus what is outside of you, which is things that can distract you like how hot it is and how tired you are. You control how you think. I think it's real important we have enough mental toughness and maturity on our team and that we have enough players that think the right way."

The Crimson Tide players treat fall scrimmages as a game and know that Coach Saban expects a level of concentration and focus that will carry over to game situations as the season gets started.

"You have to give 110 percent on every play," Alabama sophomore tight end Brian Vogler said. "Out there in the scrimmage, everyone is fired up, ready to go; we treat it like a game atmosphere; so everyone gets excited for the scrimmages."
Alabama will take Sunday and Monday off before returning to the practice field on Tuesday afternoon.

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